Monday, July 19, 2010

Thanks to my friend, social media guru and Dallas South News publisher Shawn Williams for voicing his support for Unify South Dallas' promotion of the South Dallas Hope Initiative for S.M. Wright Freeway. At about 9:30 minutes into WFAA Channel 8's Inside Texas Politics Sunday morning broadcast, you can see Shawn's 'Rant'.

Shawn does something else helpful, however, he connects the efforts of Unify South Dallas to similar efforts happening across the country, like this one in South Bronx in New York. While there are differences in terms of the problems, the point is still the same: people in their neighborhoods, no matter their economic means, have a right - and are taking advantage of the right, to determine how their communities look. That includes what kind of, and how much traffic goes through their neighborhoods.

The four lane freeway, may ultimately be less convenient to commuters than one with six lanes - but ask yourself a question: how sympathetic are you to the fact that 18 wheelers can't drive less than a mile away from your house?

The constant complaint is that it is too costly to employ what Unify South Dallas proposes. Correcting past mistakes and injustices is always costly. That's why we ought to get it right the first time. But the cost should not be a deterrent to doing the right thing. Ultimately, whether or not Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and the city of Dallas determine to find a way to work with Unify South Dallas, will determine the value they place on the quality of citizens' lives now and the future of their community.